multifaceted beings

所有生物都是擁有多個面像的存在… 我們很容易的會忘記，蔬果孕育食物的同時，也能孕育美麗的花朵。

All organisms are multifaceted beings… it is easily forgotten that vegetables are also bearers of lovely flowers.

asking the wrong question

造訪 Oscar Niemeyer 在巴西的作品，簡直像是造訪另一個星球。

“紀念碑性”被提升到了另一個境界 － 他的建築裡包含了無窮的想像，歡快，及力量。

但是卻是在造訪了他較不為人知的Brasilia大學內的 ICC教棟，與美好的 Palacio do Itamaraty 後，我腦中才開始了自我問答。

我的認知中，建築的目的有兩個極端 － 一端是為了人類的舒適，另一端是為了發表一種宣言，即“紀念碑性”。Niemeyer著名的作品多為紀念碑性的那端，例如：Niteroi, Congresso Nacional, Museu Nacional Honestino Guimaraes。它們絕對的是一種宣言，並有著創造歷史的角色；我不得不對 Niemeyer的才華折服。但是這些並不是令人能夠舒適的逗留的建築物，簡單來說人們的舒適與否並不是這些建築物的設計重點。

Visiting Oscar Niemeyer’s work at Brazil was like visiting another planet.

Monumentality was taken to another level - the imagination, cheerfulness, and power of his architecture.

But what really started the mental debate in me was after visiting his relatively little known ICC at University of Brasilia, then the fabulous Palacio do Itamaraty.

In my mind, purpose of architecture has 2 extremes - on one end is for human comfort, on the other end is for statement making, the monumentality. Niemeyer’s famous woks are mostly the statement making end of spectrum: Niteroi, Congresso Nacional, Museu Nacional Honestino Guimaraes are good examples. They are definitely statement - and history - making, and I can not but wonder about the brilliance of Niemeyer’s mind. However these are not comfortable buildings to be within, simply because human comfort was not the point of these buildings.

我幾乎要斷定這是 Niemeyer 一貫的建築手法了，直到 ICC 告訴我不同的事實。ICC 相反的是以人們如何使用空間，以及自然如何與建築融合為中心的作品 － 而不是幾何圖像或形體。建築元素甚至可以被無視，因為逗留在 ICC 的感官經歷才是讓人印象深刻的設計要點。然後是 Palacio do Itamaraty，完美的平衡了兩個極端。它一方面達成不容置疑的紀念碑性，同時環境又是如此怡人的讓我不捨得離開，能待多久就想待多久。

這讓我質疑，在1970年到達了Palacio do Itamaraty的境界（兩個極端間的完美平衡）後，為什麼 Niemeyer 會走上一條設計道路將他帶領到1996年的 Niteroi－重量級的紀念碑性與輕量級的舒適性，即”不平衡“？

I was convinced that this is how Niemeyer approached architecture, until ICC told me otherwise. ICC was really more about the way people occupy the space, and the integration of nature - not so much about geometry and form. In a way the architectural elements can be ignored as the sensual experience of being there is (designed to be) so much more impressive. Then there is Palacio do Itamaraty, striking the perfect balance between the 2 extremes; whilst it was doubtlessly monumental, being there was so pleasant that I would have loved to stay there, in the building, for as long as I could.
It made me wonder, having achieved Palacio do Itamaraty (perfect balance between the 2 extremes) in 1970, why would Niemeyer then went on the path leading to Niteroi in 1996, which is heavily monumental but light on human comfort, i.e, unbalanced?

我發現我問錯問題了，難怪得不到答案。問題跟建築無關 － 何謂建築？我們建築師應該設計的是甚麼樣的建築？我們該以甚麼手法進行建築設計？..這些我們慣常問自己的問題。

問題應該是：“甚麼東西是只有 Oscar Niemeyer 才能夠為這個世界創造的？” － 不是“一位建築師”，而是“Oscar Niemeyer”。Palacio do Itamaraty 令人贊歎，但是 Niteroi 是完完全全的 Niemeyer。這才是這個世界想從他那裡得到的創造，而他心裡也明明白白。有時候重點不是在於一個人想給予的是什麼，而是在於周遭想從這個人那得到什麼。

你是不是也對自己問錯問題了呢？你知道什麼是唯有你才能為這個世界創造的嗎？

I realised I was asking the wrong question, no wonder I was not getting the answer. The question is not about “architecture” - What is architecture? What architecture should us architects design? How should we approach architecture? ..the questions we ask ourselves all the time.

The question is “What is it that only Oscar Niemeyer can bring to this world?” - not “an architect”, but “Oscar Niemeyer”. Palacio do Itamaraty is hands down amazing, but Niteroi is undeniably Niemeyer. And that is what the world wanted from him - which he knew. Sometimes it is not about what one wants to offer, but about what the world wants from him/ her.

So, have you been asking yourself the wrong question? Do you know what is it that only you can bring to this world?

the only life

前一陣子我看了電影“Mr. Nobody"。

電影大致上敘說，Nemo Nobody在某個時間點上所作出的不同的選擇分歧出不同的人生分支。令我難忘的是，Nemo Nobody的每一個人生分支，都是以相同的情緒密度演繹；對每一個人生分支的Nemo來說，那都是他唯一僅有的人生。

我們所作出的選擇沒有所謂的對與錯；選擇僅僅帶領我們走上一個不同的人生道路。重要的是，在我們作出選擇的那個時間點，我們盡力作出了能力範圍內的，最好的選擇。當過了那個時間點後就別再想”如果重來的話…“吧；我不認識任何其它如果我曾經作出不同選擇我可能會擁有的人生分支。

我目前為止作出的選擇帶領我到了現在的我的人生，它是我唯一的人生。僅屬於我的。

A while back I watched the movie “Mr. Nobody”.

It is about different choices Nemo Nobody made at a particular moment in time led to different lives. What struck me was that the split lives of Nemo Nobody have all been portrayed with the same emotional intensity; to each Nemo at each split life, that is the only life he knows of.

There is no right or wrong in a choice we make; a choice merely leads to a different life. What matters is at the point of making that choice, we try our best to make the best choice we can. And stop thinking about the “What if” beyond that point; I don’t know about any other life/ lives I could have had if I have made a choice differently.

The choices I made to date led me onto this life I have right now, and it is the only life I have. My very own.

slice of time

剛剛從最近完工的餐廳裝修現場的燈光編程會議回來。

會議從晚上10點開始，清晨1點結束。

我們共4個人 － 2x 建築師（我與Y)，電工J，程序員T。

我們圍著細小的LED筒燈，討論為什麼它們不能與Dali控制系統同步調整明暗。

當我們終於達到共識，在寬慰與疲累的一瞬我突兀的發現，我們4個人都來自不同的地方 － T 來自東加，J來自中國，Y來自日本，我來自臺灣。我們跨過了汪洋大陸同來到這個地方為了燈光明暗調節討論到凌晨。

這個一瞬間有一種異常珍貴的美好… 喔，而且我們也解決了燈光調節的問題。

Just finished a light commissioning session on site at a restaurant we recently completed.

The session started at 10pm, concluded at 1am.

There were 4 of us - 2 architects (me and Y), electrician J and programmer T.

We stood around these tiny LED downlights, discussing about why they are not dimming with the Dali lighting control system.

When we finally arrived at a point of agreement, in a moment of relief and exhaustion I strangely noticed that the 4 of us were all from different places - T from Tonga, J from China, Y from Japan, me from Taiwan. We crossed continents to be here at the same place talking about dimming downlights until the wee hours.

There is something very precious about this slice of time…. oh and we figured out the dimming too.

(left to right) Y, T, J

(left to right) Y, T, J

on imitation

“模仿是最高形式的奉承“ － 可可. 香奈兒

我認為設計是一種，當它被與世界分享後（展示給客戶，被建造，被出版…）就已經擁有了獨自生命的存在。如同一個孩子 － 雖然是從我誕生的，但却不可避免的成為它獨立的個體。

對我而言重要的是，能夠持續創造更多設計的能力。以及能夠維持這種能力的毅力。

與其擔心人們拿走我已經創造的設計，我更願意選擇前進。前進而繼續創造更多，更好的。

“Imitation is the highest form of flattery” - Coco Chanel

I think of a design as something, once shared with the world (presented to client, constructed, published..), has taken on a life of its own. It is like a child - it was born out of me, but it inevitably becomes something of its own.

What is important here for me is to be able to keep on creating more designs. To be able to maintain that ability.

Rather than concerning about people taking what I have created, I choose to move forward. And continue creating more and better.

on blind courage

“すべてに応じて, 動きとらないのが一番損です。”

今日、いいこと言ったなーっと自分思ちゃいました。

“在所有的情況之下, 不採取行動是最大的損失“

對自己的行動小心沒什麼不對。

但是我們有時候會太小心了，反而阻止了前進的腳步。

如果我當初知道自己開業會遭遇甚麼困難，或許當初就不會開始了。

在我們的人生中，盲目的勇氣的確有著絕對的地位。

”Under all circumstances, not taking action is the biggest loss of all.”

There is nothing wrong about being careful with what we do.

But we can be too careful and stifle our steps.

If I knew I was going to be confronted with what I need to face in order to work for myself, I wouldn’t have started in the first place.

Blind courage certainly has its place in our lives.

Lucky or Unlucky

最近的紐西蘭之旅中， 我們的帳篷被強風吹倒，大雨如天堂漏水般傾盆而下，我們的裝備溼透了。

一夜大雨捲縮於車子裡後，清晨我在完全的寂靜中醒來。車內狹小的空間充斥著柔和的晨光，是的，雨是停了 － 但是雪取代了雨。春末夏初之際，居然下雪了。

在大雪中我們跋涉了許久，可見度極低，數步之外只是一片白茫茫。我只能想像風景該是如何美好，如果風景可以讓我看見。

在這個時間點上，我只能感嘆太不幸運了。

During the recent trip to New Zealand, our tent was blown over by gale force wind, rain poured down in bucket loads, our gear was soaked.

After a night of heavy (and noisy) rain in the car, I woke up in complete silence. Little space we had in the car was drenched in soft morning light, and yes, the rain had stopped - but the snow had kicked in. Between Spring and Summer, it snowed.

In the snow we trekked for hours, visibility was so low that everything beyond the immediate surrounding was whited out. I could only imagine how spectacular the view must/ could/ should have been, behind all the white, if only I could see.

At that point in time it definitely felt unlucky.

那天在Mount Cook我們先是走了Tasman Valley Track步道。雖然下著雪我們仍然決定按照計畫接著行走更長的Hooker Valley Track步道。兩者都應該是簡單的步道，但是礙於天候都讓我們用了更長的時間。

沿著Hooker Valley Track步道，在看完了（一部分的）Tasman冰川後，雪開始慢慢停了。在幾乎走完整個步道時，我們路經接近步道入口的一個觀景點。數小時前經過這個觀景點時什麼都看不見，只有一片天地渾沌的不知所謂。

我們決定再給這個觀景點一次機會 － 而這是多麼好的一個決定啊。

On that day at Mount Cook we first trekked the Tasman Valley Track. Despite the snow we decided to stick to the original plan and continued on the longer Hooker Valley Track. They were meant to be easy short tracks, but turned out to take much longer given the weather condition.

Along Hooker Valley Track, on the way back from seeing (some of) the Tasman Glacier, the snow started to ease. Right at the end of the entire track, we passed by a look out point near the track entry, where we could not see anything except for white fog when starting the trek.

We decided to give the look out point another chance - and what a good decision we made.

hookervalley_1.png

的確，感動會因為匱乏而加深。

大自然知道如何才能最有效的展現它的壯麗。如果沒有早先可見度的匱乏，我就不會這麼的被這壯麗的風景所感動 － 這光線，這深度，這明晰。我彷彿從獨自的漫長的冥想中醒來，終於睜開了眼睛。

在這個時間點上，更因為之前的不幸運，我只能感嘆真是太幸運了。

畢竟，不到最後我們不會知道命運到底為我們安排了甚麼，我們就別太早下定論了。

It is true, that appreciation definitely deepens through deprivation.

Mother Nature knows how to present its magnificence in the most effective way. Without the deprivation of visibility prior, I would not have been as moved by the view - the light, the depth, the clarity. As though I had come out of a long meditation in isolation, and finally opened my eyes.

At that point in time it definitely felt lucky, in debt to the unluckiness, for sure.

After all, we will never know what is intended for us until the vey end, so lets not label things too early.